Wife of Heat coach Erik Spoelstra announces son’s cancer is in remission
Over the past few months, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and his family have seemingly taken on a major challenge, which hopefully is now over.
Spoelstra’s wife, Nikki Sapp Spoelstra, announced on Friday that their son Santiago had been diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma, a severe and rapidly growing form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, following unexpected bowel surgery the day after his fourth birthday.
The cancer required months of chemotherapy at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, but Sapp revealed Santiago’s cancer had gone into remission. She included a video of Santiago leaving the ward and preparing to ring the bell, signaling that his treatment is complete.
Full Sapp caption:
The day after his fourth birthday, our son underwent unexpected surgery. Intussusception.
A mass was found. “Benign” I said to myself. It must be benign.
A week later, he was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma. In the days, weeks and months that followed… he endured (and thrived on) chemotherapy.
He was…and continues to be…so brave. He did not lose his joy. So many friends and loved ones made sure none of us did.
Yesterday our big boy rang the bell in the cancer wing at Nicklaus, and the gratitude I feel is overwhelming. DELIVERY.
My family and I are incredibly grateful to his paediatricians, surgeons, doctors, nurses, entire child life team and all the staff at Nicklaus who cared for our boy…and our family too. There were a lot of tears, but these special people all made sure there were lots of smiles and all the love and support needed. There really aren’t enough words. Quite simply… THANK YOU 🤍
One day I want to open up more about it and create a necessary and meaningful dialogue around the subject of childhood cancer and what it meant to me to be a parent in this situation.
For now, I’m just grateful.
Happy Friday. God is good.
Spoelstra missed a game at the end of March due to one of his children undergoing medical intervention, but no details were included at the time.
The Spoelstras currently have two children, Santiago and his younger brother Dante, with a third child, a daughter, currently on the way.